Getting On The Duck Dynasty Bandwagon Says More About You

The media, both broadcast and social, was a buzz when Phil Robertson who stars on the ‘reality’ TV show Duck Dynasty said some nasty things about gays and African-Americans in a magazine interview. Needless to say my Facebook feed lit up with my conservative friends coming to Phil’s defense and standing with him. Not a peep was said about what he said they only complained about Robertson being suspended from the show. The lack of comments about what Robertson said says a lot about conservatives.
First off I want to head off the casual argument I’ve seen where people try to deny Robertson said anything bad or that he was misquoted.

What, in your mind, is sinful?

“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field…. They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!… Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

I wasn’t surprised by his comments. It came from an isolated closed minded hillbilly who claims to be a Christian but who’s ideas are the opposite of mainstream Christianity.

What I did see was a lot of “Stand with Phil” status updates and images in my Facebook timeline and on twitter.

What I didn’t see from any of those supporters was calling out Phil’s ignorant comments. None of the comments and images from my conservative friends addressed what he said only that Phil was rebuked for saying it.

That’s how the conservative victim machine works. They get more juice by playing the victim. They are all for civil rights as long as it only applies to them.

There was one Christian webpage that did address what Phil Robertson said and I wished I would see more of what they said in all these “Stand with Phil” bandwagons posts.

As a Christian, Phil’s views on gay people and on black people do not represent me, and I’m embarrassed by those who are holding him up as a martyr or an example. I get that Phil is dear to many . . . he’s a likable guy and a very public Christian. But that doesn’t excuse his ignorant remarks, nor does it mean that he gets a pass from accountability.

Regardless of where we fall in the “is homosexuality a sin” debate, as Christians, our greatest charge is to LOVE. I don’t feel that Phil’s remarks were loving to gay people or to black people. And I don’t believe the blind support he is getting from Christians is very loving, either.

I would normally support Phil and his right to say stupid shit. We all need to have that right. However he doesn’t have a right not to be told he is a closed minded bigot. The 1st amendment only applies to actions by the government, not by your employer and if the A&E network want to fire Phil then so be it. But if you want to complain about his suspension then you also need to address what he said.

I support free speech but I don’t support bigotry and I will always point that out.